3 new commissions for The Vacant Shops Academy

Thrilled to say that 3 more organisations (with 11 #highstreet locations in-scope between them) have signed to run the ‘audit, engage’ elements of #TheVacantShopsAcademy approach to tackling empty shops issues.

It’s really good to have new places keen to understand the back story of their vacant units and the barriers to getting them let as a first step to exploring how the place (in these cases a council or BID) can work with agents, landlords, businesses and their communities to reduce this key metric and improve the mix of uses in neighbourhood, town or city centres.

I’m very much looking forward to helping develop the ‘encourage, promote’ strategies that can take them all forward, including examining the role alternative uses like arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, education, health & wellbeing might play alongside #retail, #hospitality and services.

Here’s to the exciting months ahead…!